Club Dread: Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack

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Nothin' but good vibrations and nice riddims.

By Spence D.

The soundtrack to Broken Lizard's Club Dread is appropriately enough on the classic Trojan record label. And no, for those of you who might be too young to know better, that's not a label owned by the condom kings, but rather one of the mightiest of reggae labels having been the home to hits by Bob Marley, Lee Scratch Perry, and a host of other important artists from the isle of Jamaica.

Whereas the soundtrack to Adam Sandler's 50 First Dates took the route of having modern artists do semi-decent cover versions of classic island tunes, the folks who compiled the music for Club Dread had the excellent foresight to cull together a smattering of vintage (as in 60's and 70's) reggae gems, as well as some solid tracks from the 90's and even the double zeroes for good measure. The result is a sweet swell of bouncing riddims, reggae smoothness, dancehall chatter, and overall good vibes. Purists will no doubt own many of these songs already, but the casual reggae listener will find a plethora of solid jammys from the likes of Toots & The Maytals, Yellowman, Desmond Dekker, Lee Perry, and a host of others, offering up a wonderful blend that ranges from the smooth to the rugged, the modern to the vintage.

The album kicks off with "Funky Kingdom" by non other than Toots and the Maytals. It's a shuffling number that mixes elements of stripped down funk (jangly, chikka-chikka rhythm guitar, lottsa "ughs!" and sax) and soul, augmented by an infectious step beat and an embracing "na-na-na" chorus. A perfect introduction to the album and a guaranteed burner in terms of getting a party started right or even getting your Brandon Walsh friend to get up and dance.

The next track is the decidedly calypso tinged "Monkey Ska" courtesy of Derrick Harriott. The track, resurrected from 1965, is a throwback that features horns and a whimsical story about a monkey that displays the latest dance moves. It's a sweet and solid burst of classic, folky ska.

From the old to the somewhat new, the album switches up the flavor a bit with the toasting stylings of Dillinger. "Cocaine In My Brain" is rife with slinky funk tinged bass and shuffling snares as Dillinger himself drops tangy slang in a slick drawl, talking smack about New York and the nasty white powder. It's beyond infectious, working its way into your nervous system thanks to the bubbling groove and Dillinger's languid rap.

The Lee "Scratch" Perry penned ditty "Shocks of Mighty" is delivered by Bob Marley & The Wailers in all its stripped down, gritty glory. A guitar driven track, with a slight nod to 60's American soul, it rambles along to a loquacious groove while Marley burps and struts his lyrics.

While the first several tracks focused on the late 60's, and early-to-late 70's, the next couple of tunes bump things up into the 90's. Yet despite the album 30 years difference, "Party" by Yellowman and "Gun In A Baggy" by Little Lenny completely fit into the vibe that has already been set. Yellowman's tune is a bouncy jaunt that has him urging everyone to "jump up" and to "get physical." It's a nice mid-tempo party jam. Little Lenny's entry is pure dancehall flavor, with the kinetic electronic backbeat, rippling keyboards, and the requisite call-and-response styled "pom-pom" yells in the mix.

Things dip back to the 60's for "King Of Ska" by the legendary Desmond Dekker & The Cherry Pies. Dekker, who would later become famous for his harmonious falsetto, delivers a more raucous style of singing here. The track is heavy on the horns and almost African-styled township chanting chorus. It's vintagely infectious.

The album again ping-pongs into the 90's with "Your Heard Has Been Broken" by Gregory Issacs and "Broadway Jungle" by Toots & The Maytals. The former is a smooth and silky slice of reggae pop, complete with sizzling arena rock guitars and wavering keyboard fills. Sure, it's unmistakably 90's, but it still fits the record. Toots' joint is much less slick, revolving around trumpet, cat calls, and an exuberant vocal flow. Bouncy is really the only way to describe this entry.

Lee Perry pops up with The Soulettes for the Motown flavored "Rub & Squeeze" which sees the indomitable "Scratch" delivering a nut crunching falsetto while a gaggle of female backup singers repeat the refrains "take it easy" and "rub and squeeze me" in sugary sweet (and innocently lascivious) vocals. Interestingly enough, the next tune, "Want A Wine," while sung by Leo Graham, was also penned by the prodigious Perry. It rolls along to a wonderful stutter rhythm and is once again augmented by some sugary sweet female backing vocals.

Two of the album's three bonus tracks follow next. "Long Shot Kick De Bucket" by The Pioneers begins with the famous horse racing revelry then slips into reggae bliss. "Rastaman" by Angie Angel is another contemporary tune (copywritten 2001), yet it fits into the mix nicely thanks to the laid back rhythms and Angie's nice, smoky vocals. The album proper is rounded out by Perry and The Upsetters "Jungle Lion," a blazing number that rolls along to clinky guitar, piano, and serious horns. It's also the album's sole instrumental inclusion.

The only place the album really falters is with the gurgling housed out Felix Da Housecat remix of Yellowman's "Party." Felix has injected the tune with annoying bass flutters and throbbing mutated techno blasts that are completely incongruous with the vintage sounds of the rest of the album. Thankfully, whoever was in charge of the album put this track dead last, so it doesn't ruin the smooth flow that permeates the previous 14 tracks.